Graphite-lubricator.



T. H. BRICKLEY. GRAPHITE LUBRICATOR, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. I9l5.

' Patented 11113131, 1917'.

QM l me-saw g M. m P. W

abbowm o THOMAS H. BRICKLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAPHITE LUBBICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed March 24, 1915. Serial No. 16,558.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BRICK- LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Graphite Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in graphite lubricators, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this character, whereby a supply of dry lubricant such as powder graphite will be delivered to a steam circulating pipe and carried by the steam to different parts of the machinery to be lubricated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubricating device which will effect an automatic, positive and uniform feed of the lubricant to the circulating system or to anyparticular part; of the machinery or engine to be lubricated.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a novel feeding device and means for effecting a constant supply of lubricant to said feeding device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steam pressure operated means for supplying the feeding device with the lubricant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device in the form of an Archimedean screw having a hollow shaft having a rod running therethrough, whereby a cap may be regulated to open or close the feeding device and to prevent the steam from entering said feeding device when the lubricator is not in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reciprocating piston or plunger adapted to feed the lubricant, said piston or plunger being so packed as to prevent the steam from entering the lubricant holder or cylinder.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numeral to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in

which- Figure 1, 18 a longitudinal sectional view of a graphite lubricator made in accordance ,with my improvement; and

Fig. 2, 1s a similar view of a modifiedform thereof.

Incarrying out my invention as embodied in Fig. 1, 2 represents a steam supply pipe having a laterally extending tubeor casing 3 threaded into an aperture formed in the wall of the steam supply pipe, open at both ends and provided with an inlet opening 4: threaded internally as at 5 to receive the bottom or open end of the lubricant cylin- Adjacent its upper end piston head or plunger 9 carried by a rod 10 which also passes through the pressure or steam cylinder 11, the outer end of said rod projecting above said steam cylinder for indicating the amount of lubricant in the lubricant cylinder.

On said rod 10 within the steam cylinder is mounted a plunger or piston head 12 which is always in a position in said'steam cylinder corresponding to the position of the piston head or plunger in the lubricant cylinder, and said piston head 12 is operated in that direction which will force the lubricant from the lubricant cylinder by means of the steam pressure passing intothe steam cylinder through a pipe 13 leading from the steam supply pipe 2 to the steam cylinder steam supply pipe 2 into the lubricant cylinder.

The steam cylinder is provided with a drip-cock 15 at its lower end or the end opposite the steam pressure, whereby any drippings accumulating in the steam cylinder may be removed. Adyacent the upper end,

the steam cylinderis provided with a petcock 16 which may be open to relieve the pressure when the lubricator is to be reset or refilled.

In the tube or casing 3 is revolubly mounted the Archimedean screw 17 the inner end of which projects into the steam supply pipe 2, and this screw is provided with a hollow shaft 18 having internal threads 19 throughout a portion of its length, and in this hollow shaft is mounted a rod 20 provided with threads 21 for cooperating with the threads 19, and on the inner end of this rod is mounted a cap 22 arranged to engage the inner end of the tube or casing 3, thereby efiectually closing the same to prevent the passage of steam into said casing and thence into the lubricant cylinder when the lubricant is not in use. This rod may be operated in any suitable manner as by a hand-wheel 23.

The Archimedean screw is revolved at a suitable and given speed by means of a gear wheel 2st or its equivalent mounted upon the shaft of said screw and geared to some suitable portion of the engine or ma chine being lubricated.

The operation of this form of my invention is as follows:

The rod 10 is-drawn outward until the piston heads 9 and 12 are adjacent the upper or outer ends of their respective cylinder at which time the lubricant cylinder 6 is filled with graphite. Then the supply chute 7 is closed and the valve 14 opened, which per- Inits the passage of the steam into the steam cylinder, producing pressure upon the piston head 12 and forcing it toward the opposite end which will cause the piston head 9 to force the graphite out of the lubricant cylinder '6 into the casing or tube 3, from which place by the operation of the Archimedean screw, the lubricant is'foreed or screwed out of the casing 3 into the steam supply pipe 2, whereby the steam will take it up and force it through the circulating pipes to the parts to be lubricated.

Vhen the lubricator is not in use the rod 20 is threaded outward which will brin the cap 22 in contact with the inner end OI the tube or casing 3, thus preventing the lubricant from being fed to the steam supply pipe as well as preventing any steam in said supply'pipe from entering the casing 3 and then the lubricant cylinder 6.

After all the graphite has been fed from the lubricant cylinder .6, the valve 14 is closed and the pet-cock 16 is opened to relieve the pressure, at which time the piston heads 9 and 12 may be readily redrawn to their original positions.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention in which the piston head 9 in the lubricant cylinder is operated by gravity or by the pressure of a spring 25, and the lubricant cylinder in this case may be filled through a supply chute or it may be removed from the casing 3, filled with a lubricant, and then replaced.

In the casing or tube 8 is slidably mounted the reciprocating plunger or piston 26 having a notch or groove 27 therein which is adapted to receive the graphite from the lubricant cylinder and carry it through the steam supply pipe 2, whereby it will drop from the groove or be forced therefrom by the steam passing thereabout, and'ii found desirable in this case, the casing or tube 3 may be provided with an extension 28 arranged to project into the steam supply pipe so that the reciprocating plunger or I piston will always be incl'osed, and in order that the graphite may be removed from the groove 27 in said reciprocating plunger, I provide two alined openings 29 in said extension through which a portion of the steam will pass in its passage througl'i the steam supply pipe, and the amount of steam so passing through the openings 29 will be sufiicient to remove the graphite from the groove 27 when said groove is in alinement with said openings.

In order to prevent the passage of the steam into the lubricant cylinder I provide a pair of piston rings 30 and 31 beyond each side of the groove 27 some distance therefrom, and so spaced that when the pair of piston rings 31 are beyond the openings 29 in the extension 28, the pair of piston rings 30 will be in that portion of the casing 3 lys between the steam supply pipe and the lubricant cylinder, and further so spaced that the pair of piston rings '30 will not leave that portion ofthe casing 3 lying between the lubricant cylinder and the steam supply pipe until the pair of piston rings 31 are in thatportion of the casing lying between the lubricant cylinder and the openings 29,

thereby eflfectually closing the casing to prevent the passage of steam from the steam. supply pipe in the lubricant cylinder.

The outer end of the reciprocating plunger 0r piston 26 is attached to some suitablemechanism operated by the engine or the machine being lubricated so that said re ciprocating plunger will be operated at a su'fiicient speed to properly lubricate the parts. 7

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein 7 shown, as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus tullydescribcd my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is

l. A graphite lubricator comprising a casing arranged to communicate with the steam circulating system, means located within said casing for feeding a lubricant from said easing into said steam circulating system, a lubricant cylinder in communication with the interior of the casing, a steam cylinder of greater diameter than the lubricant cylinder mounted in alinement therewith, a pipe connecting said steam cylinder with the steam circulating system, a valve situated in said pipe, a rod passing through the steam cylinder and projecting into the lubricant cylinder, a piston head of one diameter mounted on the end of said rod within the lubricant cylinder, and a piston head of greater diameter than the first named piston head mounted upon said rod within the steam cylinder for the purpose specified.

2. A graphite lubricator comprising a casing arranged to communicate with the steam circulating system, means located within said casing for feeding a lubricant from said casing into said steam circulating system, a lubricant cylinder in communication with the interior of the casing, a steam cylinder of greater diameter than the lubricant cylinder mounted in alinement therewith, a pipe connecting said steam cylinder with the steam circulating system, a valve situated in said pipe, a rod passing through the steam cylinder and projecting into the lubricant cylinder, a piston head of one diameter mounted on the end of said rod within the lubricant cylinder, a piston head of greater diameter than the first named piston head mounted upon said rod within the steam cylinder, a dripcock carried by the steam cylinder at the inner end thereof, and a petcock carried by said cylinder at the opposite end thereof.

3. A lubricator comprising in combination with a steam supply pipe a casing having one end thereof projecting into said steam pipe, and having passageways therethrough, a reciprocating piston mounted in said casing, said piston having a lubricant pocket therein adapted to project entirely within the steam supply pipe on the inthrow of the piston, a lubricant holder carried bysaid casing, and means for forcing the lubricant from the lubricant holder as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. BRICKLEY.

WVitnesses:

THEO. H. MCCALLA, MARY MoCALLA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

